A woman from Bule village outside Beit Bridge, who placed an 18-month-old boy in a container before placing it over a fire, was sentenced to an effective two-and-a half years in jail.

Ellen Ngwabi (58) was convicted on charges of attempted murder when she appeared before local magistrate Mr Abednico Bhebhe on Friday last week.

She was sentenced to four years in jail, of which 18 months were conditionally suspended for three years.

The court was told that on 2 July 2007, Ngwabi was at her cousin’s homestead where she was visiting an ill relative. The baby was left in her charge and “was allegedly fond of crying continuously”. This annoyed Ngwabi, who tried to stop him forcibly from crying, but she worsened the situation.

This angered woman, who then lifted the boy up and put him in an empty bucket, threatening to cook him if he did not stop crying. Ngwabi´s threats worsened the situation, with the boy going into a frenzy.

She placed the bucket over a fire, with the boy inside. The bucket heated up and burnt the boy under both feet, his buttocks and his private parts.

A doctor who prepared a medical report, which was produced in court as an exhibit, said the baby suffered 5% burns under the feet and that he was likely to suffer permanent injuries.

In mitigation, Ngwabi pleaded with the court to exercise leniency, saying she was a widow. Addressing the court in aggravation, the prosecutor advocated for a custodial jail term, saying what Ngwabi had done was abominable.

In passing sentence, the magistrate said the reduction of the charge to assault and the fact that she had spent eight months being remanded in prison while waiting for a mental examination weighed in her favour.

He said although she was a female first offender, the court should not be swayed by this, adding that what she had done was satanic and horrific and had sent a shock wave through the local community.

He said the only befitting punishment was a prison term.